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Just because we're not playing in the post season doesn't mean the Orioles can't focus on improving the team.

This is the time of year when teams start remaking their roster. Most of you will already know what I'm about to explain. If so, please skip to the next paragraph. Quality scouting and player evaluation can make a big difference in filling a bullpen or bench spot. To add a player a team believes is a major league talent they have to have a spot on their 40 man roster. Normally, when a season ends, a team will drop those players they no longer believe are solid prospects They then add those players the rules require be protected on the 40 man roster so they won't lose those players to the Rule 5 draft in December. I have asked for help in the Orioles Nation Community for the list of players that need to be protected and will post it here when I have it.

Definite CutsJeremy Accardo - no longer a proven ML talent. I would offer him a generous minor league deal with a spring inviteWillie Eyre - no longer a proven ML talent. I would offer him a generous minor league deal with a spring inviteChris Jakubauskas - no longer a proven ML talentRick VandenHurk - he's a AAAA pitcherPedro Viola - he's a AAAA pitcher Jake Fox - no room for his glove on our bench. If we could get by with an 11 man bullpen I would love to have his bat. I would offer him a generous minor league deal with a spring inviteCesar Izturis - a free agent we don't need anymoreVladimir Guerrero - a free agent we don't need anymore

On The BubbleBrandon Snyder - he could be a ML sub but he'll have to admit to himself that's his ceilingClay Rapada - can be an effective LH specialist, if we can afford a reliever that will only pitch to one or two battersBrad Bergesen - just not the same pitcher he was in 2009. Might need a fresh start somewhere else.Jason Berken - see BergesenJo-Jo Reyes - a lefty but not a ML starter. Maybe he can win a bullpen role.Josh Bell - does not have the plate discipline to be an ML regular nor the glove to be an effective reservePedro Florimon Jr. - speed does not win you a spot on a ML roster. May hang on for one more year while Machado works his way to AAA.

I Agree with most of them but I'll name the few I think could/should stay:

Will Eyre -He pitched effective enough in his limited innings to keep a spot in my opinion. I think he is one of the last spots, but I at least think he could be a valuable asset in the pen.Rick Vandenhurk- I think you give him one more ST to let him show what he has. Clay Rapada - Keep him just in case Patton cannot be an all-around reliever. He is valuable if used right. But then again, it is tough to keep Rapada when your starters cannot go very far into the games.Josh Bell- A little too early to give up on him completely, but this is the last season in my opinion before you cut him loose.Jason Berken - You have to see if he can harness what he did in the past. If he cannot out of ST or the early part of the season, then you can look towards letting him go. Brad Bergesen- He is not a bad depth guy, but that is the only reason as of now that I can see of letting him stay on the 40.

Those are just the ones I would be OK with keeping. I could certainly see them letting Vandenhurk,Rapada, and Eyre off the 40, but I don't think it hurts to keep them

I agree with all of your definite cuts. Here are my thoughts on your bubble guys:

Brandon Snyder - Staying. Clay Rapada - Gone. Brad Bergesen - Staying on 40-man. Jason Berken - Definitely staying on the 40-man. Still has a good slider, just needs to keep his pitches down in the zone. Jo-Jo Reyes - I think he's gone and was only acquired for some depth towards at the end of last year. Josh Bell - He probably is an AAAA bat at this point but I don't see them leaving him off the 40-man. Pedro Florimon Jr. - Honestly wouldn't keep him in the 40-man, but the Orioles seem to have some obsession with him.

Like Jordan just said, I do not see the fascination with Florimon. I have been saying it for a while, that he is the oddest person on the 40 man roster...What specific talent do they think he will show in the MLB? I just do not see his value as they apparently do

None of them are good enough to play in the majors now or anytime soon. I would extend minor league offers to all of them except for Vladdy and Izzy. I may be a little disappointed if we lost Bergesen and Bell to other organizations but the others I could care less about.

Brandon Snyder - Staying. Clay Rapada - Gone. Brad Bergesen - Staying on 40-man. Jason Berken - Definitely staying on the 40-man. Still has a good slider, just needs to keep his pitches down in the zone. Jo-Jo Reyes - I think he's gone and was only acquired for some depth towards at the end of last year. Josh Bell - He probably is an AAAA bat at this point but I don't see them leaving him off the 40-man. Pedro Florimon Jr. - Honestly wouldn't keep him in the 40-man, but the Orioles seem to have some obsession with him.

I don't think this team is in a position to carry a pitcher that can't face more than a batter or two in the same appearance. When we get to the point where our top five starters combine for at least 900 innings THEN you can afford a specialist.

Accardo should be gone. Can't pitch at the ML level.Eyre should at least get a minor league deal. I think he gets one of the last spots in the bullpen.Jakuabuaskas should get a minor league deal to priovide depth at AAA.I would put Vandenhurk be in the AAA rotation again.Viola should be gone.I would rather have Fox over Tatum. More versitile and good pop off the bench.We don't need Izzy anymore now that Andino has earned a spot.Vlad just wasnt the cleanup presence we needed. His statistics really werent that bad but his power is all but gone and he runs in to too many outs on the bathpaths. He is slow and agressive...not a good combo for a baserunner.I'd get rid of Snyder. Mahoney will be the first basemen at AAA and we have Baker, Townsend, and Waring all at AA.Rapada should get a minor league deal but I Phillips will most likely beat him out in ST.Beregesen is hopeless. I agree, he needs to start over. Berken will be fighting the the last spots in the bullpen. He's exactly on the bubble.Reyes...AAA starter?Bell looks lost at the ML level and he is not putting up sloid numbers at AAA. Probably gets 3rd base at Norfolk because we have no other depth.I don't know what they see in Florimon. He might be able to be the SS at Norfolk.My dream 2012 rotation: Yu Darvish, Chien-Ming-Wang, Britton, Hunter, Arrieta.Realistic 2012 rotation: Free Agent, Guthrie, Britton, Hunter, Arrieta2012 bullpen: Johnson, Strop, Simon, Gregg, Patton, Phillips, Eyre, Tillman/Berken.